Thinking Through the Bible

The Three Guides and The Centurion

The centurion exhibited the three guides of (1) faith, (2) love, and (3) wisdom in his request with Jesus.

* Wisdom: The centurion exhibited WISDOM by sending people Jesus would most likely listen to in the request to grant the healing.

* Love: The centurion exhibited LOVE for his highly valued servant by seeking Jesus to heal his servant once he learned about Jesus.

* Faith: Jesus marveling at the centurion’s great FAITH shows the centurion’s request was deeply rooted in faith.

Luke 7:1-5 (ESV):

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”

Luke 7:6-9 (ESV):

6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”